Can We Find Her?
by Neonlights
Summary: Linna and Nene have returned to Tokyo. Priss is no where to be found. Linna finds herself in the uncomfortable position of making an odd aliance to find her freind, but things arent going quite right... ON HIATUS
1. Can We Find Her?

An; this is my first BGC 2040 fic. But it's my third fic altogether, so I know that if you want, I can be flamed. Go ahead. Criticism is part of a writer's life right?  
  
As my fav character from the series is Linna, so this story will probably focus on her, though of course, being a third person narrative it's gonna include equal amounts of all our friends. Linna/Daley thing happening later.  
  
And another thing, im a firm believer that Linna is straight, 1, because she was horrified when she asked Nene if Priss swung 'that way' and two because she goes out with at least two guys during the series, a fact that most Linna/Priss shippers tend to ignore.  
  
Chapter one.  
  
Can we Find Her?  
  
Linna and Nene returned to Tokyo, which was still covered with the dead 'vines' from the Boomer plague. As they exited the express they looked around.  
  
Nene looked like she was about to cry, and turned to her friend; "what if-"  
  
"Hush. He'll be ok, let's go."  
  
Sylia and Nigel had returned to Tokyo, and, unbeknownst to Nene, Linna had sms'd Sylia the night before telling her of their arrival. Sylia had told them to come to Nigel's garage, as Silky Doll was pretty much a pile of rubble.  
  
They passed boomers. Nene looked like she wanted to hit them, Linna simply watched in amazement as they cleared up what was left of a car. The streets where pretty much deserted. Wind howled around them as they walked (the public transport was derailed, the roads crushed so no cars could be used for more than a block) and leaves blew around their feet. In short it was one dreary day.  
  
It was eight blocks to Nigel's home from the station, and the two friends arrived without a hitch, though perhaps colder than they would have been had they taken a car had there been one. Nene had a cold, shivery feeling in her stomach as she looked up at the familiar building.  
  
"Come on." Said Linna, giving the eighteen year old a shove. Nene reflected as she walked slowly through the dark garage on the last few days. They had been found three weeks ago on an island in Hawaii, and the embarrassment of being found on a beach with no clothes still made her cheeks go red. They had managed to get back to Tokyo after a weeks negotiation with the police and Linna's parents for the money. After listening to Linna yell at her father over the phone Nene was glad that she had no family.  
  
She paused at the door, wondering what she would see. Linna apparently had had enough of her indecision and shoved the door open and stepped through,  
  
"hellloooo? Anyone home?"  
  
Sylia appeared from nowhere, sticking her pale face around a corner. She was wearing her usual white/grey/blue suit and looked rather well. Linna inwardly cringed when she recalled her dusty blue jeans and green turtleneck. Sylia smiled brightly when she saw them.  
  
"Linna! Nene! I was wondering what time you'd get here!"  
  
"Huh?" asked Nene as she received a hug. She glared at Linna, "you've been talking to her!"  
  
Linna smiled back at her innocently, and then hugged Sylia in her turn.  
  
"Mackey's through there Nene," said Sylia smiling, gesturing towards the back room where they had said goodbye before the final battle. Nene looked at her apprehensively, but the pale woman just smiled.  
  
"He isn't aloud out of bed yet." She added as Nene turned the door knob, Nene, now quite sick with nerves only just managed a nod. The two elder women watched her enter and shut the door behind her.  
  
"How are you?" asked Linna as Sylia opened a bottle of wine.  
  
"Fine. A little tired. But I'm fine, so is Mackey."  
  
"And Nigel?" asked Linna, taking the offered glass and settling herself on the couch. Sylia paused.  
  
"Nigel is- well, Nigel is Nigel."  
  
"Same old same old?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Nothing bad there."  
  
Sylia sent her a sharp glance. Linna was smiling mischievously. Sylia could tell that Linna at least had not missed the growing relationship between the two.  
  
"No," she agreed, "nothing bad there."  
  
"Have you had word from Priss?" asked Linna suddenly. Sylia blinked, thrown by the change of subject. She shook her head, "no."  
  
"Oh dear." Linna seemed angry and Sylia watched her for a second, and then said, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, I can't help but feel I could have done more." Said Linna, clenching her fist in frustration, "I mean, for a while I was happy just to have survived, but then I wondered how Priss was and I thought that perhaps I should have tried to stick around up there for longer, even though Nene said it was impossible."  
  
"You did what you could." Said Sylia consolingly.  
  
"What about Leon? How is he taking it?" asked Linna.  
  
"About what you'd expect. I hear he's giving everyone at the ADP a hard time, especially his partner."  
  
"Poor thing." Said Linna sadly. She took a gulp of wine and winced. Sylia chuckled, apparently Linna still couldn't hold her alcohol well.  
  
The door opened and Nene entered, looking happier than she had been in days, but with wet cheeks.  
  
She sat down on the couch next to Linna and poured herself a glass of the red.  
  
"Well?" asked Linna, lounging back and watching her friend curiously.  
  
Nene went red. "I think he's my boyfriend." She said happily.  
  
"well." Said Sylia.  
  
"It's about." Added Linna and they finished together, "TIME!!" and laughed.  
  
Nene smiled.  
  
***  
  
Linna had returned to her old flat, she did, after all, still own it. Nene was staying with Sylia, Nigel and Mackey (of course!).  
  
It was ten o'clock pm and Linna had just got in. she lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling for a second. Away from her friends depression set in. Priss had been her best friend. She frowned and corrected herself, Priss was her best friend, and would continue be. After Linna found her. Linna's face took on that stubborn look that she had first greeted Priss with. She stood. She wasn't going to just sit around. She headed to the wardrobe, pulled out a short black skirt and off the shoulder red top. Pulled on some stilettos and hooked some dangly gold earrings in her lobes and grabbed her purse. The registry office would be swamped with calls for missing persons. There might be a chance for her to get somewhere if she leant on the counter and let the desk clerk see a little more than she was accustomed to showing.  
  
She waited in a queue, even at this time of night; the 24 hour branch was swamped. Linna waited for half an hour in the queue and then was pleased to see the desk clerk was a fat balding man. She leant on the counter and did her thing, really just wishing for an easy escape route. But it worked, the clerk logged onto the registry that she wanted immediately and told her that a piece of debris as yet to be identified had landed in the African Desert the day of the incident. He handed her the sheet of paper and then made a rather disgusting remark which Linna privately thought warranted an arrest, but she just smiled (which she was convinced came out as a grimace) paid the fare and left.  
  
She read the print out as she walked, ignoring the freezing wind on her bare shoulders. There was a blurry satellite picture of whatever the debris was. It looked like to Linna a vaguely human figure. What she couldn't figure out was the two huge triangles extended from the figure. They looked like wings. She read the coordinates. Priss had landed pretty much in the exact middle of the Sahara.  
  
Linna sighed and tucked the papers into her small bag. She shivered suddenly in the wind, only just noticing it. She hugged herself as she walked, thinking. She had to get in touch with the Arabians somehow. Her first thought was Nene and her hacking abilities, but then she revolted against it. Besides, she had a couple f friends who might be able to help, and Nene was having a good time with Mackey, and was pretty much convinced that Priss was dead. She had said so much to Linna before their arrival in Tokyo that day.  
  
A car pulled up to the curb of the path she was walking on. The lights illuminated the road in front of her. Linna turned, at first fearing that it was someone who had taken her for prostitute, but then saw the flashing red and blue lights on the roof of the ADP car.  
  
"You should be at home in bed girly." Said a well modulated and familiar voice from the darkness of the car. Linna stared at the car for a second and then stepped forwards, and bent her knees so she could look into the car without being blinded by the flashing lights.  
  
"So should you two." She said to Daley Wong and Leon McNichols, "have they put you on extra shifts or something?"  
  
"Holy-" began Leon when he recognized her, but Daley cut him off,  
  
"Language Leon."  
  
Leon shut up, but he still looked like he wanted to murder her. Linna could understand. Sometimes she felt that way herself.  
  
"What are you doing here?" asked Daley suspiciously.  
  
"I'm not a prostitute, if that's what's worrying you. I've been doing some investigating."  
  
"And that outfit helped?" asked Daley in astonishment.  
  
Linna gave him a look, "when the person you're trying to get information from is twice your age, flabby, bald and hasn't had any since his wedding night a little skin doesn't go astray."  
  
Daley laughed. Leon glared at his friend as if he had been betrayed. Daley shut up and Leon asked Linna in a curt voice, "What were you investigating?"  
  
Linna watched him evenly for a second. His eyes were rimmed with dark lines and he looked like he hadn't shaved in days.  
  
"I've found where Priss crash landed." She said triumphantly. Waving the sheet of paper.  
  
The effect on the two men in the car was electric. Daley, who had been glancing in the rear view mirror whipped round and stared at her. Leon, who had been glaring at her and leaning on the wheel suddenly let his arm slip, making him bang forwards onto the horn. A hoot sounded through the street. A cat yowled and jumped from is garbage bin dinner in fright.  
  
Linna couldn't help but smile at them. Daley looked hopeful, not because he actually knew Priss but because Leon had been moping for the last three weeks and making everyone's life miserable. If his girlfriend was found, perhaps Leon would become his old self.  
  
Leon looked like he was hardly daring to hope. He almost unwound enough to ask where but then remembered that this girl was one of the ones who had got his girl in the situation in the first place.  
  
Linna and Daley watched his face close with anger again and exchanged a look.  
  
This made Leon angrier. "Listen here you two busy-"  
  
A shot range through the street, neatly shattering the rear window. Daley, Linna and Leon ducked,  
  
"Shit, it's the punk from earlier!" yelped Daley.  
  
Another shot rang through the night, exploding the mirror near Linna's face she yelped and jumped backwards. Leon pushed the car into gear and burned rubber as it took of after the shooter. Then the night was silent. Linna stood for a second, staring at the broken mirror that had shattered next to her. She didn't know it but she had a small cut on the side of her face that was bleeding freely.  
  
She shrugged, hugged herself and went home.  
  
The next day she called by the garage to collect Nene. Then they headed to the ADP headquarters, a tall building that still bore the signs of the recent boomer plague. They asked at the desk for McNichols. No one knew him. Nene became frustrated and began to yell at the desk clerk showing all that she wasn't as mature as she pretended. Linna dragged her out of the way, apologized (ignoring Nene's mutinous look) and asked for Daley Wong. That got a response, and they found themselves traveling up to the fourth floor. Nene greeted some of her old friends while Linna searched for his office.  
  
They heard Leon and Daley before they saw them. As the two girls rounded the corner in the corridor they saw Leon yelling at Daley, who was quietly standing in front of a new recruit who had apparently aggrieved Leon in some way. Leon was saying something rude about Daley's mother when a man wearing an important looking jacket appeared and yelled at them both. Leon shut up, Daley sighed and the newbie scurried away.  
  
Linna glanced at Nene. She could see her friend was shocked at the change in them man that she regarded as her elder brother. Linna nudged her and smiled encouragingly. Nene took a breath and walked up behind Leon.  
  
"Good morning Leon poo!"  
  
Daley glanced around his partner in surprise and Leon spun round. There was a girl with short blond hair behind him smiling and holding up two fingers in the v sign.  
  
"Nene? Why must you keep calling me by that infantile nickname?" Leon meant it this time, instead of playing with her.  
  
"Because I like you silly." Nene meant it too.  
  
Leon was shocked.  
  
Daley decided to play along, "how can you refuse such an eloquent answer?"  
  
"Daley..." Leon rounded on him.  
  
"Oh for goodness sake boys, act your age. Do you want to know why we're here or not?"  
  
All three turned to find that Linna had been standing on the sidelines. She had her arms folded on her chest and was wearing her usual turtle neck top (singlet style, but) and her favorite jeans.  
  
"Leon, I realize were probably the last people on earth that you want to see right now but were the only people that can help you find Priss. Maybe if we find her you'll stop taking your anger out on those people around you who are only trying to stay your friends." She glanced at Daley as she said this.  
  
Leon looked at his friend too. He saw for the first time the tiredness in his partner's eyes, and the lines that had appeared in his features.  
  
"Is there somewhere quiet we can talk?" Linna added, quickly covering up the awkward moment.  
  
A few minutes later Linna was showing them the photos she had bought.  
  
"I know its Priss." She told them, passing the photo around.  
  
"What are the two triangles?" asked Leon.  
  
"Don't know. I'm assuming she changed her suits shape like we did."  
  
"Changed your suits shape?" asked Daley weakly. He put his head in is hands. "This is so unreal."  
  
"Surreal, I think is a better term," said Linna smiling sympathetically. Daley glanced at her and grinned.  
  
"She landed in the desert?" asked Nene, reading over Leon's shoulder.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Well, what are we gonna do?" asked Nene impatiently.  
  
The three adults looked at each other.  
  
An; there you go, first chapter. Tell me what you think people! Neon. 


	2. Cairo

An; her we go, you know the drill, review and ill update.  
  
Linna threw her bags into the taxi and headed to the airport. Daley and Leon were waiting. She smiled thinly, realizing that she had managed to pack les than them, having only one case to their four.  
  
"Ready to go?" Daley asked brightly, desperately keeping his tone light. Linna nodded and followed the silent Leon and the determinedly chatty Daley through the terminal.  
  
They had decided that Linna, Leon and Daley should go for Priss, they were using Sylia's money as well as their own and would keep in touch. Nene had elected to stay with Mackey and Sylia refused to leave her brother, so Linna found herself in the uncomfortable position of going halfway round the world with two virtual strangers, one who blamed her for what had happened, and another who she barely knew from a sack of potatoes.  
  
Daley and Linna were thrust into each others company during the long flights that it took to get them to get to Egypt, where they would move over to Libya, neither liking it at all. At first, uncomfortable silences stretched between them, only broken by Leon's regular snoring. But gradually they warmed to each other and were able to carry out civilized conversations without griping at each other. Daley had some amazing opinions on the politics of the day, and surprised Linna many times by his insight. Daley in turn found it fascinating that this girl, so much a country person, like himself, hated it as much as he did. She had some quite clear cut views on things like abortions and drugs, but remained vague on matters such as the need for more war like units in China and Japan.  
  
Nevertheless, they were both mightily relived when the 48 hours of flight and transaction time was over. They disembarked and headed to the rent-a- car. They chose a light white van, big enough for their luggage and cool enough in the hot weather. Linna sat in the back and did a rather shoddy job of directing them, they only got lost twice.  
  
In the hotel that they had booked the two men shared a room, and as Linna had a bigger room, set up all their computer gear that Daley had insisted they bring. Leon watched balefully, standing with his hands in his pockets, as they set up, Linna carrying weight that would have made him puff. His glare became even more pronounced when Daley showed Linna what his 'Machine' could do. He ground his teeth as Linna laughed at something Daley showed her. What right had they to be happy when he was feeling so down? Then his mood lifted a little, he would see Priss soon, he could feel it.  
  
'Leon's mood is lifting' though Daley with relief. He had felt his friends glare a few moments earlier and had been ready for an outburst. When he didn't come he made himself relax. Hopefully Leon would cheer up when they found Priss... if they found her. Daley winced inwardly, watching Linna type an email to her leader, the pale one...Sylia wasn't that her name? There was no way either he or Leon would give up on finding her, for the simple reason it would make everyone's lives easier.  
  
Later, when everyone was sleeping off their jet lag, Daley leant on his room's balcony and indulged in a smoke. He watched the sun sink, and then stared down at the street watching passerby's wander around. He let his thoughts roam, wondering, musing, remembering. He was so deep in his memories that he barely noticed when a familiar figure stepped out of the hotel lobby. She looked around, and then headed off to the left. Daley watched her for a second before grabbing his jacket and running to the lift.  
  
She knew he was following her four minutes after he began to, and could see him two minutes later. Linna knew that it was Daley a few minutes after that. It didn't matter, but she was a little annoyed that he saw fit to follow her. Not that she really cared, but he was more likely to get himself into trouble than get her out of it, if that was what he was thinking. She walked unerringly through the maze of city blocks, showing to Daley that she actually knew the city better than she had demonstrated earlier wit her map reading. It was dark and beginning to cool down when she finally reached the place. She stood and waited until Daley peeked around the corner.  
  
"Come on over." She called when she saw his shadow, and he came, albeit sheepishly.  
  
"This house belongs to a friend of mine. I know it doesn't look much but her husband will be able to help us." She told him as she rapped on the door.  
  
The door opened and an elderly Egyptian woman opened the door. She let out a cry when she saw Linna and ushered them into a nice house with tiled floor and ferns decorating the lobby. It certainly didn't match the front of the house, which was badly in need of paint. Everything was meticiulsy clean and Daley saw quite a few antiques. The old lady shut and bolted the door before giving Linna a hug.  
  
"Mistress Yamazaki! How are you? And you're parents?"  
  
"All fine, thanks Mary. This is Daley, he's helping me out. I was wondering if Michael was home?"  
  
The old lady nodded and smiled, "you know the way." She said, looking upstairs.  
  
Linna gestured for Daley to follow her. As they ascended the stairs Daley asked, "You've been here before?"  
  
Linna smiled mischievously over her shoulder at him, and led him down a corridor decorated the same as the lobby. She knocked on the door and a deep baritone called from the other side, "Come in."  
  
Linna opened the door and entered, Daley close behind.  
  
Michael was sitting in a darkened room full of his computer equipment when the visitors arrived. He looked up and dropped the bag of cashews he had been eating from. A tall, slim brunette walked through the door, followed by a fashion statement. She had an odd haircut that somehow fitted her perfectly, and was wearing jeans and a green turtleneck.  
  
"Impossible!" he said and began to smile.  
  
"Possible!" retorted Linna, coming over. Michael stood and hugged her, dwarfing her with his height (and belly).  
  
"I thought that after last time you got mixed up with me you had had enough!" he chuckled, remembering the teenage girl who he had helped out of a fix.  
  
"Not nearly enough." Linna grinned, and then introduced the fashion statement as a Daley Wong, Michael thought she could do better, but didn't say so just yet.  
  
"Sit! Sit!" he cried jovially, sweeping papers from the couch. Linna sat gratefully, Daley a little more hesitantly.  
  
"What brings you into this part of the world again my dear?"  
  
"Again?" asked Daley, fixing Linna with an inquisitive eye.  
  
"Shut up Daley. You followed me so you're gonna have to figure it out for yourself." It was the first time Linna ad mentioned Daley's attempt at stalking, and he subsided.  
  
"I need some help Michael. I need to know whats going on in Libya at the moment."  
  
Michael, who had been rummaging under his desk for the cashews bumped his head and began to swear.  
  
"What the hell do you want to know for?"  
  
"A friend went missing there a little while ago, at the same time as the phenomena and I need to find her."  
  
Michael looked between the two, Linna watching him anxiously, Daley looking bewildered.  
  
"This friend wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the phenomena, by any chance?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Or the piece of debris that fell through the atmosphere and landed in the Sahara?"  
  
"How'd you guess?" asked Linna. Her friend's powers of deduction would never cease to amaze her.  
  
"There's been a lot of activity concerning it at my base. My bosses are worried about the fact that the Libyans are being awfully quiet about it."  
  
"Could you get the details for me?" asked Linna. Michael sucked in his breath.  
  
"I know im asking a lot, but I wouldn't if it wasn't important. If the Libyans find out how to use the liquid metal technology that that 'piece of debris' utilizes it would mean a lot of trouble."  
  
Michael sighed. He thought for a minute, "Come back tomorrow afternoon. I'll have it for you then, but-" he added as Linna began to than him, "you're going to have to share what you know."  
  
Linna nodded and they left. Linna was silent on the way back to the hotel, until Daley asked,  
  
"You've been her before."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"When?"  
  
"When I was sixteen. My parents had always wanted to see Egypt, so that's what we did. I got separated from them, and found myself in an alley. It's a long story, but the short of it is that I saw something I shouldn't have and Michael had to track me down to make me give evidence, and to protect me."  
  
"From?"  
  
"The thing I shouldn't have seen." Linna was unyielding. Daley sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry I followed you."  
  
"You damn well should be." Linna's voice had taken on a brittle edge and Daley winced.  
  
There was silence for a second before Daley said sheepishly, "I never was good a tailing anyone."  
  
"True," agreed Linna, "you do stick out like a sore thumb," She eyed his pink shirt ostentatiously.  
  
"Hey!" said Daley, "at least I can read a map!"  
  
"But you sure as hell can't fly." Retorted Linna.  
  
"That's hitting below the belt!" grumbled Daley, Linna chuckled and the friendly banter continued until they reached the apartment and separated to go to their respective rooms.  
  
Linna was up early the next day, out at dawn and returned before Leon and Daley woke. It was a warm day already and she was in high spirits. She contacted Nene and asked her to tell her when their extra luggage, courtesy of Sylia would arrive. Nene agreed and asked if they had found Priss yet. Linna reminded her that she had been in Egypt less than twenty four hours. Nene repeated the question and Linna laughed and told her they had a lead.  
  
Leon's mood lifted when he was told of Linna and Daley's nocturnal jaunt and the possible lead on his girl's whereabouts. He chatted amiably over breakfast at the restaurant Daley had chosen, surprising both Linna and Daley when he actually addressed Linna to her face, asking her when she was to visit her friend. Linna covered her shock and told him that afternoon. Until then, she suggested that he and Daley do some sightseeing.  
  
"Aren't you coming?"  
  
"No, I have some things to take care of." As she left them, Linna wondered why she was suddenly the leader. Surely it was up to Daley and Leon, they had much more expertise in this sort of thing. She was lost, and had no idea as what to do next, or how she would even begin to get across the border into Libya.  
  
Nene called as she wanderd through the main market place of Cairo. Linna chatted for a miute, and then Nene told her that their extra luggage would arrive in three hours. Linna thanked the girl, didn't bother to ask how she knew and continued on her jaunt through the haggling rabble.  
  
Leon and Daley were having a good time, they had seen the old ruins of the quarry where Hatepshut had made her tall standing stones, stared up at the Sphinx and wandered through the pyramids. They were both very hot a sweaty when the returned to the hotel, and showered and changed hurriedly before Linna arrived and they walked the ten blocks to Michaels house. Linna seemed quiet and a little pensive, so there wasn't much talking on the way.  
  
***  
  
"Are you here to interrogate me again?" the singer's voice was sarcastic. She was sitting in her cell, arms folded and looking bored.  
  
"Absolutely." Agreed the officer who had just entered.  
  
"You're going to get the same answers." Priss eyed the balding research department clerk, "but I suppode you already know that."  
  
"Where did you get the suit?"  
  
"Jesus made it for me."  
  
"What were you doing in orbit?"  
  
"Talking to Allah."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Mary, mother of god, wife of Joseph." Saying that made Priss think of Leon.  
  
"Where do you come from?"  
  
"A little place in the stratosphere. It's called 'heaven' perhaps you've heard of it?" saying that reminded her of the song she used to sing. High above the clouds of heaven, light was burst inside my brain....  
  
"Why aren't you being serious?"  
  
"Because I don't like you."  
  
"How was the suit created?"  
  
"Using grass, twigs and a lot of paint."  
  
"I give up." He threw up his hands in annoyance and Priss smirked. If they seriously thought she was going to tell them how to make the hard suit then they were seriously mistaken. As if anyone in the Libyan army would be able to operate in one anyway. They didn't know how to activate one.  
  
"You will not be fed until you tell us." Snarled the clerk viciously. Priss kept her face neutral, but her heart began to beat faster. He slammed out of the room and Priss rolled her brown eyes. 'What have you gone and done now? Priss, you're seriously in trouble this time.' She thought to herself.  
  
***  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Linna asked her burly friend. He gave her a look.  
  
"You're sure." She muttered, eyeing the printout in front of her distastefully, "damn."  
  
"Why is it so bad?" asked Leon angrily, "we know where she is!"  
  
"Wake up lover boy," said Daley dryly, "she's in the middle of a high security compound. There's no way in hell we're gonna get her out by ourselves."  
  
"We have to try," muttered Linna, "or theyre gonna figure out how to use the hard suit."  
  
"Hard suit?" asked Michael sharply.  
  
"I'll tell you some other time." Sighed Linna.  
  
"So what are we gonna do?" complained Leon.  
  
"The first thing we have to do is get into Libya." Said Daley, rubbing his chin.  
  
"We have passports." Said Linna.  
  
"That won't be much help. The Libyans don't get on with forigners."  
  
"Then we'll have to sneak in," said Leon desperately.  
  
"That's your forte then." Said Linna, "I don't know anything about this kind of stuff."  
  
"Will someone please fill me in?" wailed Michael.  
  
Linna told him the very basic details and he frowned thoughtfully.  
  
"theres a shipment of both men and women going over the border in three days time. Theyre going over for varios things, but mostly to join the army and research facilities. I could get you aboard if you want."  
  
"yes!" said Leon immediately, and Linna almost groned.  
  
"theres a catch." Added Michael warningly, "I wont be able to get you out-"  
  
"I have something that will take care of that." Interrupted Linna, earning surprised looks.  
  
"And," continued Michael, "women and men are separated on the shipments. I don't know whether or not youll be able to meet each other again."  
  
"That's not so good," areed Leon thoughtfully.  
  
"Could we smuggle walkie talkies in?" asked Daley.  
  
"Nope. They have scanners for bombs, excetera."  
  
"What about disguising her as a man?" asked Leon. All three men turned and looked at Linna, at her slim figure and hair.  
  
"nah." They said together.  
  
"Excuse me!!" cried Linna, "but I can, obviously contrary to popular consensus, take care of myself."  
  
The men looked at her doubtfully and she began to fume.  
  
"Do you know what we'll have to go as?" asked Daley, to quell Linna's murderous look.  
  
"ummm." Fingers tapped keyboard and Michael said, "Two security guards are needed....and one desk clerk in the research section."  
  
"I've had enough of desk jobs," grumbled Linna, but consented and Michael sent their application forms out.  
  
Things happened quickly, and in three and a half days ther was a convoy of three trucks heading through Libya, one with laggage and equipment, including Linna's special 'extra help'. The other two carried the ment and women. Linna herself was sitting in the back of a truck bumping along a dirt roadway in the middle of the desert. The girl next to her, also to be a desk clerk in the research department chatted constantly, getting on Linna's nerves, but when she wasn't blathering on Linna got on well with Susan and they became friends over the four hour journey.  
  
Leon and Daley talked little on their trip, in another army truck. Daley was wishing he had thought to bring water with him and Leon was wondering how Priss was.  
  
"Crap." Muttered Linna, eying the high fences and security camera's installed around the compound.  
  
"This is not gonna be easy."  
  
An; well, I've decided (at the urging of a reviewer, thanxs Linnafan!) that Linna and Daley are only gonna be pals. There's not much else they can be anyway, with Leon in his current state, so yeah, pals are more comfortable anyway, don't you think??? Anyway, R and R!! 


	3. Working It Out

An; well, her we go. Another chappie up. Golly I feel proud. Golly. Where did that word come from? I sound like my grandmother. Heaven forbid!!!  
  
Works Out.  
  
Linna got a very, very, very boring job. She sat at a desk all day. She wrote all day. It was just like a Hugh Geit, except there was no Mesae to help her out. Her boss was a cranky bald man that she had to call sergeant Mc Alister. He was as much of a pervert as her old boss, and hit on her at least once a day. Linna had to refrain from getting physical, but that didn't stop her complaining bitterly to Susan, who worked across the hall from her. The other people in her area were friendly but refrained from any contact. She was, apparently, beneath them.  
  
Leon and Daley were assigned to patrol the perimeter, the worst job, especially if you got the noon day shift. Their first day they got burnt. Their second it peeled. Their third they tanned and the tans had darkened ever since. Leon was in the sulks again as he couldn't find anything out about where Priss was. Daley put up with him, just thinking 'it will all be over soon. It will all be over soon. PLEASE let it all be over soon!'  
  
The one good thing that happened a week after she got there. She had been flirting with one of the security guards all week, knowing he was a guard on the cells that ran under the compound. On the Friday of her first week he consented to let her have a look, which was of course what she'd been aiming at.  
  
His name was Tim and he was quite happy to show off how in control he was. Linna followed him down the rows of cells, most empty, looking intently into each one. At the very end of the very last dark tiled corridor Tim pointed proudly to Linna,  
  
"This ones the worst we have. She won't tell us her name and she won't talk. Thieve been starving her to try and make her talk but she just wont budge. When we let her out of her cell last she attacked me." He said bravely, puffing out his chest. Knowing that he expected her to gush about his bravery, she did so.  
  
"Could I have a look through the glass?" Linna asked, referring to the electronically locked viewing window that each cell had. Tim unlocked the shutters with the code which Linna recorded silently in her mind, her excitement making her blood roar. The shutters slid open and Linna looked through. There was a flat bench opposite her. On the bench a thin woman laid, her back to the glass, but Linna had no doubt as to her identity.  
  
Just then, one of the prisoners down the corridor made a racket, and Tim hesitated, unsure of what to do. Linna smiled at him, silently thanking providence,  
  
"I'll be alright, you go on. I've never been this close to someone so dangerous,"  
  
Images flashed through her mind, Galatea. If she hadn't been dangerous then Linna didn't know what was, "it'll be fine. She can't get at me." She reassured the guard. He nodded and hurried off to the row.  
  
Linna turned back to the glass and tapped hurriedly. Priss flinched but didn't turn over. Linna resisted the urge to yell at her through the glass and pressed a button.  
  
"Priss! Can you hear me?"  
  
****  
  
"Priss! Can you hear me?"  
  
Priss moved her shoulders, trying to get comfortable. She was dreaming again, Linna was calling her. Before Linna it had been Leon. She sighed.  
  
"Priss!!" the voice sounded desperate. The dream like Priss knew she would have to help her friend, and knew too that she would wake bitterly alone. She rolled over, and in her dream saw Linna standing over her, watching her sadly. The dream Linna said, "Wake up Priss. It's happening." In Sylia's voice.  
  
Priss obeyed. She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was a pair of enchanting, familiar eyes. Without blinking Priss at up, and, as if in trance she walked to the glass and pressed a hand onto the glass. Linna smiled and pressed her hand against the other side. Their warmth heated up the glass and for the first time in almost three months Priss felt the warmth of human contact. A tear escaped her right eye, rolling down her cheek.  
  
Linna's eyes spoke more than she could say. Priss saw the promise and nodded. Linna smiled so wildly that her mouth ached. Then a security guard appeared and the contact was broken and Linna was pulled away, sending a heart wrenching glance back at her friend. After the shutter closed Priss, who still hadn't moved her hand slowly slid down the wall and began to sob.  
  
***  
  
"I still can't believe you got some reaction out of her!" Tim was exclaiming ten minutes later. Linna was frowning, trying to hold back tears; her friend was so thin...  
  
"Tim, I have some friends here, but I can't get in touch with them because they work outside most days." Linna had found out what Leon and Daley were doing by asking another guard, "Do you think you could deliver a message for me?"  
  
"Sure, Linna, what do you want me to say?"  
  
"I'll write it down. All you have to do is give it to Daley Wong or Leon McNicholls."  
  
Linna scribbled a message on a piece of spare paper and handed it to him, "promise me you won't read it."  
  
"I promise." Said Tim surprised.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Linna went back to work, and Tim went about his errand, with the uncanny feeling he'd been used.  
  
Daley was relaxing in the staff lounge when Tim, a friendly bloke from Linna's section found him. He wordlessly handed him a piece of paper and then disappeared.  
  
Daley unfolded the piece of paper and what he read had him running to find Leon, who was in the showers.  
  
Leon read the note;  
  
It read, "hey guys I hope you're ok. Remember why we're here? Well, mission accomplished. Meet me at the garage at midnight." It was signed LY.  
  
Linna was waiting when they arrived, standing next to a large crate in the dark.  
  
"Where is she?" demanded Leon immediately. Linna glared at him, "it's nice to see you too, Leon, how are you?"  
  
Daley almost smiled, seeing his friend so taken aback.  
  
"Priss is in a cell upstairs. They've been starving her."  
  
"Bastards." Muttered Daley.  
  
Leon's face agreed with him, but he was too angry to say anything.  
  
"They've been trying to figure out the hard suit. They have the hard suit in a safe, along with all the information they've managed to get of it." Said Linna, leaning against the crate and folding her arms,  
  
"We need to get both out as soon as possible."  
  
"How?" grumbled Daley, glaring at the floor.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think I'll let you two take care of Priss. I'll get the hard suit."  
  
"And how are you going to do that?" asked Daley sarcastically, "more importantly, how are we going to get out here?"  
  
Linna smiled and patted the crate, "Nene has sent us a present." She lifted the lid long enough fro them to get a good look at the contents, and then dropped it in place. Daley was grinning, Leon was almost smiling.  
  
"The code to open Priss' cell is two oh three four nine seven." Linna said, tugging her jacket closer around her.  
  
"Two oh three four nine seven." Repeated Leon with a nod, "where shall we meet?"  
  
"Well, I'll find you; it'll be quicker that way. Just get yourselves down here and onto the bikes and out as soon as possible, and ignore whatever noise I choose to make. The bikes will be right here, keys in the wheels. Okay?"  
  
"You've got it well worked out." Commented Daley, holding out his hand, "good luck."  
  
Linna grinned, "Thanks." She turned to Leon and held out her hand. There was a tense moment while Leon thought about it, but he put out his hand and shook, "luck."  
  
"You too, tell Priss she'll be seeing me soon."  
  
The two men hurried away. Linna watched them go. They would be long gone before the compound figured out what was happening, she would make sure of that. She turned to the crate and began to pull things out.  
  
Daley and Leon where almost at the cells when the first explosion rocked the compound. Alarms screamed and the ground shook. Dust fell from the ceiling. They heard screams from far away. Daley looked at Leon, and couldn't help but grin, "she's providing a good distraction." Leon nodded. Every three or so minute another explosion blew. They hurried on.  
  
She knew when the explosions started, just knew that it was Linna and she would be out soon.Priss looked up when the door opened. Her face went white when Leon charged into the room. He wrapped his arms around her and Priss almost choked on her gasp of surprise.  
  
"Leon?" she gasped, "Linna didn't say..."  
  
"Linna didn't have time," said Daley from the doorway, "and we have to move."  
  
"Where to?"  
  
"Garage."  
  
Leon carried her. Priss protested almost the entire way, but had to admit it was a nice feeling. She let out a little shriek when she saw the two bikes, one red, one green, both motoslaves. Leon chuckled, and swung a leg over behind her.  
  
"Which way?" Priss yelled over the roar of the bike. Leon shook his head and handed her a helmet. There was a comm link in it.  
  
"Which way? Where's Linna?" she asked.  
  
"Gates, that way. And, can't you here the explosions?" Daley, on the green bike pointed. They took off, squealing tires and leaving a trail of smoke.  
  
Linna jumped out the window, three stories up. She fired her thrusters and dropped another grenade, accelerating away from the compound. She was enjoying herself immensely. She heard a noise and turned, still floating in mid air. Two bikes were speeding along the track to the gates. Before she followed them, she had one more thing to do.  
  
The safe didn't have a hope against her cutters. She pulled out the suit, or rather the remains of Priss' suit and stared at the wings still attached. She then pulled the pin from a grenade, dropped it into the safe on top of the papers, and, still gripping the suit took off.  
  
"Shit!" yelped Daley, suddenly swerving ahead of Priss and Leon. Priss reacted instantly and skidded to a stop. There was a hole opening in the ground in front of Daley's bike, and even in the darkness of the desert night they could see what came out...  
  
"CRAP!!" yelped Priss. It was almost thirty feet tall, with enough armour to be a tank, no, a legion of tanks, and enough guns to kill an army. It was, without a doubt, a boomer.  
  
"This is sooooo not good." Said Priss, staring up in horror.  
  
Linna saw it the moment it appeared. 'Well, well, well' she thought with a grin as she sped through the air towards her friends, 'they have boomers here. I'm sure that's illegal after what happened in Tokyo.' She chuckled anyway; it would be fun to give her hard suit a good work out. She carefully put the slag of a suit in her arms down.  
  
The boomer raised its left arm, a gun attached. The others were accelerating away when they heard the boomer give an angry roar. Priss looked back, and stopped the bike. The boomer was now missing its left arm.  
  
"Linna?" she asked in amazement.  
  
"Yep. We have to go, she'll catch up." Said Daley, revving his motorslave.  
  
"But..."  
  
"She can take care of herself-" Leon began, but was interrupted by a burst of static,  
  
"What are you waiting for? Get going!" Linna's voice was enraged. She ducked a shot from the boomer and the missile impacted the ground harmlessly.  
  
"Yes ma'am!" said Daley, and took off. Priss was going to argue when Linna added, "I'll meet you back at the hotel, but for goodness sakes Hurry up!  
  
****  
  
"Sylia!!" the voice shrieked over the loud speaker at Silky Doll.  
  
"Linna?" asked Sylia, going to a computer screen. And logging onto the communicator. A picture appeared on the screen and Sylia yelped, bringing Mackey, Nene and Nigel running.  
  
"I need to know how to get rid of this as quickly as possible, my battery power is low....ARRRRGG!!"  
  
"Linna?" called Sylia anxiously.  
  
"I'm here, but this boomer is—so DAMN IT! - Hard to--" Linna grunted and even from where they were the four friends in Tokyo heard the screech of metal.  
  
"Linna?" called Nene,  
  
"Just find out how to kill this thing!!" Linna called her voice sharp with pain.  
  
She landed on the boomers back, cutting of the boomers other arm. Unfortunately it had a concussion pack and blew her skywards. She tumbled for a minute trying to right herself and then Sylia's voice came over the comm,  
  
"It's a small boomer in a large suit, like the one that went rogue that time in Tokyo. You have to break open the armour. Linna, do you understand?"  
  
"Yes I, OW!" a missile sent her flying backwards.  
  
"Linna?"  
  
"I'm alright, hang on."  
  
Linna fired her thrusters and rose higher. On the horizon she could see the two bikes. She suddenly pointed her head down, and began to fall towards the boomer. She fired her thrusters and slammed into the boomers armour, cracking it. She grabbed the two pieces and pulled. With its armour gone, the boomer had no chance.  
  
The others looked back at the explosion. It rocked the sand around them, and when they saw the fireball rise they knew that the boomer was gone.  
  
"Linna?" asked Priss quietly.  
  
"What are you waiting for?"  
  
They turned back to face forwards. Linna was standing in front of them, hands on hips. Her hard suit was the same as her first one, the liquid metal being too hard to transport. The slag of a hard suit was resting on the ground in front of her.  
  
"That was quick."  
  
"Hard suits are. Meet me at the airport. I've got to go, my battery is almost out."  
  
"Will you make it?" asked Daley anxiously.  
  
The green armour shrugged, "you can pick me up if I- SHIT! GO!" she grabbed the wreck of a suit.  
  
Behind them, accelerating over the dunes on buggies and other transports came the rest of the compound personnel.  
  
"They figured it out too quick!" hissed Linna as she took to the air, "we're gonna have to move."  
  
The two motor slaves' took off, the knight Saber streaking above them.  
  
Every second was a nail biting affair. Linna, up in the air had a good look at everything, and wasn't concerned, but the three on the ground could not see beyond the next dune and were hollow with fear.  
  
The border was a dune. There was no white line, no big fence, just the border. They went over it, and were back in Cairo in no time. Linna had separated from her friends just before the border. She was currently talking to Sylia.  
  
"Ok, I'll send it as soon as."  
  
"Make it sooner." Urged Linna, and turned of the comm. She landed at Michaels building, stepped out of the suit, and at Michaels urging, shared a meal with Mary and him. But, spending the day in the air and most of the night on tenterhooks had her exhausted and she fell asleep on the couch.  
  
Priss and Leon had a good time. Daley crashed, so they had the apartment to themselves. It's probably best that what went on isn't mentioned, but suffice to say that they were very happy the next morning.  
  
All three were just sitting down to breakfast when the phone beeped. Daley pressed the required button and Linna's face filled the screen.  
  
"Linna! Where are you?" Daley asked immediately.  
  
"Michaels. I can't talk long, but I'll meet you at the airport at one."  
  
"Are we leaving?"  
  
"Yes. Sylia's got something organized for us. Its probably best that you don't use the motoslaves, the Libyan police have a price on the owners heads, but if you feel speed is more important than safety...its up to you."  
  
"Right..."  
  
"Linna turned to Priss, smiling, "what do you think of our little rescue mission? Are you feeling better?" Linna's glance flickered between Priss in Leon, and she added, "no, don't answer that, just tell me what you thought."  
  
"Could have been better executed." Said Priss in a mock serious tone.  
  
"Right. Anything in particular?" Linna played along.  
  
"ummm, well, there should have been a big meal waiting when we arrived here."  
  
Linna laughed, "I'll make a note of it for future reference. See you at one."  
  
The screen winked out.  
  
An; im tired. Im going to sleep. SNORE! Oops. Sorry. R&R. 


	4. There's a Child?

An; another chappie! Hmmmmmm. Sorry about the slow update!  
  
There's a Child???  
  
They were waiting at the airport when Linna arrived, puffing slightly, with a skid on the tiled floor.  
  
"Sorry I'm late, traffics terrible!"  
  
Daley stuck his nose in the air.  
  
"We had the prescience to know that the vehicular multitude would be accumulating at this instance and left our temporary residence prematurely in order to circumvent the multitude. We, therefore, have been at this place of departure in excess of an hour, and are thoroughly sick of it."  
  
There was silence for a beat. Priss and Leon both looked rather flabbergasted. Linna's mouth quirked, just a little. Then she said,  
  
"Our transport, aided by Sylia's money is here. We should leave."  
  
Their 'transport' as Linna called it, was an old army helicopter, big enough for the two hard suits, the two motoslaves and the four passengers. (An; help! I know nothing about helicopters! Chinook maybe? Not that civilians can actually buy them when they're out of commission, besides, they're not exactly made for comfort and noise reduction...):  
  
As they took off, Linna, looking out the window and remembering her last visit saw three Libyan jeeps roll onto the tarmac in front of the airport, each bearing a symbol she knew. Her mind flashed back into a dark alleyway on a warm night and a lost girl. She blinked and shook her head. If they had come for the suit and Priss then they were too late.  
  
A movement beside her caught her eye, and she turned to find Daley looking over her shoulder. He met her eyes with a question and glanced towards where Priss was talking to Leon. Linna shook her head no. they didn't need to know. They were happy as they were. Daley nodded and sat down, strapping himself in.  
  
It was a comfortable flight. Linna slept most of the way, but her dreams were haunted by dark alleys and darker purposes (An; anyone else seen Aladdin recently?), so the rest was not a fitful one. Priss and Leon did a lot of talking, but they played cards with Daley for a few hours when they got bored. Daley slept the rest of the time too.  
  
They arrived in Tokyo sometime during the next night, after a quick stop for fuel and grub (An Grub is the aussie word for food, if that has anyone confused). Priss ate ravenously, or, well, she tried to. Everyone kept insisting that since she had eaten so little for so long that her stomach would revolt if she ate too much too quickly. They were right, and Priss had to make a few pit stops before leaving the restaurant.  
  
After getting of the helicopter, Linna stood straight for the first time in hours and winced as sore muscles protested. On her right, Daley was doing the same, while Priss and Leon staggered towards the waiting group of Mackey, Nene, Sylia, Nigel and even Henderson. Nene of course didn't wait for Priss to get to the safety zone away from the helicopters spinning blades, but ran forward and plowed into Priss with the force of a small train.  
  
"I can't believe you're back!" she yelled over the noise of the rotating blades, quite a feat for anyone, but on Nene it seemed normal.  
  
Linna took the bags from one of the attendants and threw one at Daley, the other a Mackey. Both whined, but obeyed, after a glare from Priss, anyway.  
  
Sylia and Nigel came and said hello to Priss, Sylia hugging her affectionately and Nigel making some crack about 'knowing it was just a matter of time before he would have to fix her bike again'. Priss laughed, smiled and chatted, but Linna noted wryly that she didn't leave Leon's side, and as often as not, her hand was in his.  
  
Later, at the celebratory bash that Sylia threw at Nigel's place, which was looking considerably homier than the last time Linna had seen it. The chatter was cheerful, and Daley had everyone laughing at his jokes about Leon. Linna lent against a bench that ran along the side of the room, content to listen. Priss joined her, and Linna wordlessly handed her a beer. Priss smiled and gulped.  
  
"Hey Linna,"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"I never said thanks," said Priss, shifting awkwardly, "so thanks."  
  
Linna smiled at her, and nodded, "s'ok, you would have done the same for me."  
  
Priss chuckled, and then Leon called her over to a toast.  
  
"To a return long delayed!" said Sylia, and the others echoed her words, "to a return!"  
  
Linna's phone, now on silent, shook in her pocket, and she pulled it out, frowning when she saw who was calling her. She disappeared out the door, answering as she did.  
  
"Linna, its Mary here, from Cairo."  
  
"Mary! What can I do for you?" "I don't know whether you know or not, but I have a daughter, by Michael."  
  
"Michael mentioned her; he said she was a darling. What's up?"  
  
"Well, Michaels part in your rescue is known, and-"  
  
"omigod!" what can I do?"  
  
"Nothing, well, that is...er... there's no easy way to say this Linna, but, well..."  
  
"Spit it out! I'll do whatever I can!"  
  
"We're going to send Eleni to Tokyo, she'll be safe there, if you look after her. She's too young to go into hiding."  
  
"Hiding? It's that bad?"  
  
"I'm afraid so."  
  
"I'm so sorry; I don't know what to say!"  
  
"Say you'll take care of her. She's only six, and she won't understand."  
  
"Are you sure? I'm not very well qualified... and she doesn't know me!"  
  
"But you're the only one that has the power to protect her!"  
  
"I thought you guys were the ones that..."  
  
"They'll get her too if they can. She should be landing in Tokyo in half an hour."  
  
Linna shut her eyes, "ill take care of her." She said quietly, exhaling painfully, "I promise. Nothing will happen to her until you come and collect her."  
  
"I doubt we'll be able to, Linna, I'm so sorry."  
  
"Are you sure there's nothing I can do? How's Michael?"  
  
"He hasn't said anything since they fired him. Were just waiting..."  
  
"Well DON'T!!" yelled Linna, surprising herself with her vehemence, "get out! I don't care if you have to wear face paint and walk, but move!"  
  
There was a click. Mary had hung up. Linna cut her connection, and closed her eyes, too a deep breath. The party had continued in her absence until her yell, and the door opened and Nigel stuck his head out the door, frowning at her.  
  
"Nigel, I need a motoslave."  
  
"In the garage, what's wrong-?"  
  
"Thanks. Tell the others im sorry to have to leave so quickly." And she was gone, cursing the luck that got her landed with a kid, at her age! What was with all this? Circumstances kept forcing her to act out of character, and Linna hated it with a passion. All she wanted to do was to be a Knight Saber and have a day job. Was that so much to ask?  
  
The party upstairs stilled for a second when she started the motoslave, and too off, heading towards the airport, but as Nigel delivered her apologies, Daley spilt a drink down his front and the laughter redoubled, Daley protesting that he had meant to do it.  
  
The motoslaves had not trouble negotiating the large cracks in the road, and Linna arrived at the airport as the flight landed, and headed through the crowds (Tokyo airport was always busy, but whether with travelers or not is another story) to the receiving lounge, where she saw a little girl, wearing a pink dress and with dark hair in pigtails crying, hugging a small rectangle of paper in her grimy hands.  
  
Linna didn't notice the four men in suits as she went to the girl.  
  
"Eleni?"  
  
The little girl looked up, and then immediately looked at the scrap of paper in her hand. Linna, kneeling in front of her, could see it was a photo of her, Michael and Mary, a few years ago when she had holidayed with them.  
  
"Linna?" the girl's accent was very pronounced and Linna could see she was not very good at speaking English.  
  
"That's me, are you alright?"  
  
The little girl burst into tears and Linna wrapped her arms around her awkwardly, wishing her mother was around, she honestly had no idea with kids.  
  
"Are you Miss Yamazaki?"  
  
Linna turned, her grip tightening on the girl; there had been something slightly hostile in his voice...  
  
A tall man wearing an ugly cheap suit looked down at her through sunglasses.  
  
An; sorry about the update, but ere it is. Smile and have a good day (but hey, no pressure!!) 


	5. A Taxi Driver Who Isnt

An; WASSUP? There's a reference to a terrorist group in this chapter. That's all it is, a reference. I barely know how to spell it. AND I DON'T OWN BGC2040!! That's just a nasty rumor.  
  
As Linnafan demanded, WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO LINNA THE FIRST TIME SHE WENT TO EGYPT???  
  
Thanks to; K-iska-Muggle-Girl-0731  
  
Linnafan  
  
Sorceress Annie  
  
JVR (janessavr@yahoo.com)   
  
Chapter five; A Taxi Driver who isn't...  
  
Last chapter...  
  
A tall man wearing an ugly cheap suit looked down at her through sunglasses. +++  
  
"Who are you?" Linna asked, standing and gripping Sarah's hand tightly.  
  
"Answer the question please."  
  
"Just because I'm female doesn't mean I have to take your crap! Come on Eleni." Linna dragged the girl away to the luggage receiving area, grabbed the girls bag and was about to march out of the airport when the man stopped her again.  
  
"If you are Linna Yamazaki then I have to talk to you. We suspect that you're connected with the breach of security that happened in Libya a few days ago. We'd like you to come with us." He gripped her arm near the elbow and began to steer her away. Linna wrenched her arm away;  
  
"Let go! I don't care who you are, but I'm not talking to you."  
  
The man smiled tightly, the corners of his mouth arching into a wolf like snarl.  
  
"You don't have a choice."  
  
"Want to bet?" Linna turned and walked away. As predicted the man grabbed her shoulder from behind, she twisted around and punched him in the stomach. When he caught his breath she and the girl where gone.  
  
Eleni had shorter legs than Linna, and found it hard to run fast enough to keep up with her new guardian. She tried her best, and Linna hailed a taxi and was bundling her inside before it stopped moving.  
  
She told the cabbi where she wanted to go, and turned to Sarah.  
  
"I'm sorry Eleni, this is all my fault. I'll make it up to your parents and you very soon, I promise."  
  
She paused awkwardly, wondering what else to say. What did you say to a child whom you didn't know but had to take care of?  
  
"When we get to my apartment you'll have to tell me what you like to eat, so I can make something for you, how about pancakes? Do you like pancakes?"  
  
The little girl sucked her thumb and stared at the lady sitting beside her silently. Linna smiled at her for a few seconds, but gave up quickly. What was the point when she received no reaction?  
  
The cab turned a corner, and Linna frowned. This wasn't the right way....  
  
"Excuse me! I said as close as you can to apartment block twenty nine on Chifron Street! Excuse me!" she banged on the divider between her and the driver, "EXCUSE ME!!"  
  
She tried her door. It was locked. She banged on the window again. The car went over a series of small cracks in the road, and Linna, who had not put on her seat belt, got thrown against the car door.  
  
"Where did you learn to drive?" she grumbled to herself, but apparently the driver heard, because he looked into the rearview mirror, and grinned, his blue eyes twinkling. Linna scowled and banged on the divider again,  
  
"Where are you taking us?"  
  
The car stopped.  
  
"here." Said the cabbi, getting out. Linna stared at the building they had pulled up next to. It was tall, dark grey and she wouldn't have noticed it except for the big gold letters above the door that said Japanese Embassy. Frowning, she got out, followed closely by Eleni, who was still sucking her thumb.  
  
"Why are we here?" she asked the cabbi, who had gone to the back of the cab and had grabbed Eleni's small case. He handed it to her, and Linna noticed that he was actually wearing hat looked like an expensive suit and bright tie underneath the bomber jacket that had marked him as a cab river. Noticing her look, he pulled it of, and said,  
  
"I have a boss that wants a word."  
  
"Why?" demanded Linna.  
  
"Just follow me please."  
  
Linna, sure by now that this had something to do with what she had done n Libya hesitated, and looked down the street, wondering how fast she could run with Eleni. The man turned back, and added as if he knew what she was thinking,  
  
"If you look up you'll find three guns trained on both you and your daughter, Miss Yamazaki."  
  
Shocked, and annoyed that he knew what she had been thinking, Linna had to bite the inside of her cheek to refrain from looking up. Instead she marched right past her kidnapper; chin high and totally ignoring him, Eleni hurrying along beside her. He held the door open, waited until she was inside, chuckled and followed her.  
  
Linna looked around the tiled floor of the entrance hall. Corridors branched of in all directions, people in black suits hurried here and there. It was like one of those secret intelligence movies, headsets and wrist mikes. She turned to her kidnapper, smirking, "I can see why you were sent to pick us up."  
  
At his enquiring look, she elaborated, "You're the only one here who's wearing a colour beside black or white. I imagine your colleagues thought it would be funny to send you out as a cabbi."  
  
To her surprise, he chuckled, before catching himself and saying gruffly, "Follows me." Linna smirked and followed. As he pressed the button for the lift she said, "I suppose there's guns on us here to?"  
  
"Only camera's he answered shortly, stepping into the lift doors before they opened fully. Linna followed quickly, and pulled Eleni in after her. Eleni, who had been silent through out the proceedings so far, stared up at the agent, with her clear green eyes in an unblinking stare. Linna watched, amused as the agent became uncomfortable, fiddled with his collar, wriggled his shoulders, and made a small cough. Eleni turned to Linna, and beckoned, her eyes shining mischievously. Linna bent down to listen to what the girl was saying,  
  
"He has a hairy nose." Whispered the six year old with an amazed voice. Linna snorted with laughter and clapped her hand over her mouth. The Agent watched uncomfortably.  
  
When the doors opened, three men were waiting. They greeted her escort agent as someone named Scott and escorted Linna and Eleni to an office down the end of about three corridors, all of which looked very boring to Linna's eye.  
  
"Oh the anonymity of it!" she said theatrically, bored with the silence. The nearest agent turned his laugh into a cough. Scott James, following behind his colleagues raised an eyebrow, amused. She certainly didn't seem like the sort of person who could kill three men in a dark alley in another country.  
  
Linna and Eleni were shown into an office just like the others she had glimpse as they passed. Grey walls, grey carpet, fake wood desk. Grey chair. Grey haired man on it.  
  
"Take a seat." The elderly gentleman said, waving his hand at the two seats in front of her. The group of agents crowded into the office behind her.  
  
"What's this all about?" demanded Linna, crossing her arms angrily.  
  
"We won't hold you long; this is merely a few questions. Miss Yamazaki, I have no interest in whatever you did on your last holiday. That concerns the Libyan government, not the Japanese. What I'm interested in is the first time you went to Egypt."  
  
Linna blinked, completely thrown. She decided that she had better sit down.  
  
"The fact that a Japanese citizen was rescued by a teammate is if anything, an amusing story for us. What we want to know of is your dealings with a sect that have arisen in that area. Well, a group more like. They are a spin off of early twenty-first century al kieda, with a symbol like this."  
  
He held up a piece of paper, with the symbol Linna had seen on the armbands of the troops that had arrived at the airport in Cairo as they were leaving, a few days ago.  
  
"We believe you recognize it?"  
  
Linna wet her suddenly dry lips, "yes," she managed, "yes, yes I know who they are."  
  
"Can you tell me anything else about them?" asked the man quietly. Linna watched him for a minute. If he was having her on and she was going to be arrested or something then the Knight Sabers would get her out. So she may as well talk. It would fill the silence anyway.  
  
"Not about their organization, no... About their involvement with the Libyan military? A little. About their involvement in a murder of a girl in an alley about a decade ago? My memories are sketchy."  
  
"Let's start with that alley in Cairo. What exactly did you see?"  
  
"I was about ten. We were in a bazaar, and my mother had just bought me a beautiful pink sari. I had put it on, and was skipping around happily, until I lost my parents and ended up in an alley on the end of the bazaar. Three men, look I don't know exactly what they were doing... but I can guess. Anyway, they had a girl up against the wall and she was pleading with them. They were trying to get her to tell them something, lifting up her skirt to threaten her. I remember thinking she must be rich, because she was wearing a string of pearls against her forehead. I was standing at the edge of the alley, watching. She saw me, and grabbed her pearls and threw them at me. They landed at my feet with a clatter, and two of the men turned towards me when they heard. The girl yelled something to me in Egyptian, but I didn't understand. I picked up the string of pearls. The two men saw me and came towards me, telling me to give the jewels to them. The girl said something, and even though I didn't understand I think she meant for me to run, and to keep the pearls. The man still holding her pulled out a knife. I didn't actually see him stab her because one of the ones coming towards me was blocking my view."  
  
Linna paused for breath, thinking hard about what to say next.  
  
"She collapsed, and all three men came after me. I turned to run, but tripped on my new sari. One of them men had grabbed me and was prying my hand open when a man I had never seen before came from somewhere to my left and hit him in the face."  
  
"Who was this man? And do you still have the pearls?"  
  
"His name, I found out much later was Michael. He took the pearls."  
  
"And what does this Michael do?"  
  
"I'm not exactly sure; he told me he works for the government."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"How the hell should I know?" Linna snapped, "Look, what's this all about?"  
  
"Your friend Michael has disappeared. He was working for us, transferring, er, intelligence from his cover job to his handler. We believe he has found the need to disappear because of your, er... activities lately."  
  
"Well thank you captain Obvious!" snarled Linna. "That's pure genius that is."  
  
The man on the other side of the desk looked much taken aback, eyes widening and eyebrows lifting.  
  
"Is that all?" she continued, "I have some things to do."  
  
"That's all. You will be escorted to you home." the man scanned the room, and noticed Scott trying to shrink out of sight.  
  
"Agent James. You will escort Miss Yamazaki and her daughter to their home."  
  
Scott tried not to groan. Linna didn't bother. Eleni sucked her thumb.  
  
***  
  
'Just what have I gotten myself into this time?' Scott James asked himself despairingly. Not only was he playing babysitter but now he was doing surveillance as well. How typical was that of his job? He always seemed to get the boring jobs. As if escorting a lady who had a sharp tongue halfway across town wasn't enough, he was now assigned personal bodyguard over the little girl, something which made her guardian amused. He wasn't entirely sure why, but whenever Miss Yamazaki saw him following them she would smile as if she was amused and knew something he didn't.  
  
***  
  
Which of course, she did. When Linna had unpacked Eleni's things she had found a small velvet box. Curious, she had opened it, to find a familiar string of pearls with a teardrop crystal in the centre.  
  
"Eleni!" she called from the child's new bedroom (Linna had found a two bedroom flat), and the little girl came in from where she had been watching TV.  
  
"Where did you get these, Eleni?"  
  
"Papa gave them to me. He said you would know what to do with them."  
  
'But I don't!' Linna panicked for a second, but then shut the box and said, "Alright, back to Play School." And the girl obeyed.  
  
Linna opened the box again and stared at the pearls, wondering why the girl had thrown them at her, and not asked her to run and fetch help. Not that Linna would have understood the hieroglyphics, but still.  
  
An irregularity in the box caught her eye. There was a small piece of lining coming up from the underside of the lid. Linna, beginning to feel rather like a Charlie's Angel tugged gently at it. It came away to reveal a piece of carefully folded thin paper. Written in Michaels hand.  
  
*Dear Linna,  
  
First of all I would like to thank you for looking after Eleni. She may appar shy at first, but persevere and she will open up. Secondly, I feel I should explain to you about these pearls...*  
  
'oh crap.' Thought Linna, sitting down. This was turning into a movie.  
  
An; well, see you next chapter. Sorry about the time it took to update. School really sux. 


	6. Letter

AN; a swear word at end of chapter. problem? dont read.

Dear Linna,  
  
First of all I would like to thank you for looking after Eleni. She may appear shy at first, but persevere and she will open up. Secondly, I feel I should explain to you about these pearls...  
  
these pearls are not, as it seems, just jewels. Three of them have a tiny scroll hidden inside each. I know how like a movie that's sounds but its true. The writer of these scrolls made only one other copy of the information in them, and that he gave to one of his two daughters. The scrolls contain information about a being created by man in man's image but who has a controlling power over all machines. The information was hidden because of how damaging it was to its owner. The girl who gave them to you was the younger of the two daughters. The information must be kept from all governments or something like what happened in Tokyo will happen again.  
  
I must go now, as im out of paper. Take care of Eleni, Linna.  
  
'Holy crap' thought Linna, putting the pearls and the paper back in the box and laying them on the bed.  
  
Eleni ate but didn't want to sleep so Linna took her to Nigel's where the others were still partying. Eleni held her hand as they went upstairs to the large room.  
  
When Linna opened the door there was silence for a second.  
  
"Hey everyone, this is Eleni. She's Michael's daughter. I'll be looking after her for a little while"  
  
There was a chorus of greetings and soon Nene was showing the girl the space game on her hand computer set. Linna explained what was going on to the others quietly, minus the pearls. She had a feeling that talking about the pearls would put a damper on things. So for the rest of the day she enjoyed the company of her friends, keeping the smile plastered on her face.  
  
Scott yawned and checked his watch. Four hours. For whole hours she had been there. It was dark. He was cold. He was hungry and he was tired. He began to nod off into sleep, his mop of black hair falling over his face.  
  
Knock. Knock.  
  
He wriggled in his sleep to escape the noise.  
  
Knock KNOCK!  
  
His eyes flew open and his hand went to his shoulder holster. But a second later he realized what was happening and relaxed. Linna was standing outside his hover car window, one hand on her hip the other holding a plate covered in foil. He lowered the window suspiciously.  
  
She held out the plate, "I thought I'd let you know we'll be here for a little longer. And as you haven't moved a finger in the last three hours I thought you might be hungry."  
  
He took the plate and stared at her in amazement. She grinned brightly, "see ya!!" she went back inside at a jog to get out of the cool night air as quickly as possible.  
  
He followed her with his eyes, too surprised to say anything. Then he tucked in.   
  
It was hard for Linna to adjust the parenting ole. She had always come and gone as she pleased, but now found herself worrying continually about her charge. Eleni didn't sleep well, and the only time when she showed any emotion was when she woke from her nightmares.  
  
Another Linna was unaccustomed too was having to share the pay she got at work (bloody boss!), and with an extra mouth too feed and to keep entertained, Linna was beginning to lose sleep herself.  
  
Scott, of course, watched all this with only mild curiosity. The fact that his boss thought looking after the girl was important annoyed him, but his boss had weight behind his fist and Scott knew that if he complained he'd get a worse job. Actually, he didn't mind having to watch the kid, because her guardian was hot!! And the fact that she often wore a short skirt to work was...well... appealing.  
  
It wasn't until a week after Eleni's arrival that thing began to get out of hand. Linna took the girl out to Sylia's one night, knowing the girl liked to play dress ups with all 'aunt Sylia's' pretty things (of course only the cheap, pretty things!). They arrived at Nigels and Linna dropped of Eleni at Sylia's dressing room, where Nene and Mackey were doing something to the computer and would keep an eye on her, maybe even teach her a thing or two about computers. As she ascended the stairs Linna smiled a little as the new Mackey's voice drifted with her. He had grown at an amazing rate over the last few weeks, and was now no longer looking like the teenager but the man he was. The change seemed to please Nene no end.  
  
When she pushed open the door the quietness of place struck her as unusual. Priss and Leon were usually around, even if Nigel and Sylia weren't. She walked through to the room where Mackey and Nigel had made the secind generation suits, opened the door and stopped in surprise.  
  
Priss was watching over Nigels shoulder as he fiddled with a computer screen, Leon was welding something across the room and Sylia was in the middle of sewing some black and white material together. It didn't take her long to figure out what was happening, standing at the door. Hardsuits were being created. She frowned. So Boomers were still being made? It was illegal.  
  
Sylia dropped a clip that she had been about to sew onto one of the suits. She saw Linna at the door, and stood in surprise.  
  
"Linna! I didn't expect you here until..." she checked her watch, "a quarter of an hour ago? How long have you been standing there?"  
  
"Long enough to figure out whets going on. Problem is, I don't know why."  
  
"Rougue Boomers." Said Priss in a mild voice. Linna stuck her tongue out at her.  
  
"No, really? That's amazing." She snapped, "When was I going to be told?"  
  
Sylia fidgeted, drawing her attention, "well, er.... You weren't."  
  
Linna froze, and her eyes narrowed dangerously, "what?"  
  
"You can't fight anyway!" said Nene from behind her, "you have to look after Eleni! What is she going to do if you get hurt? Besides, we scraped your hard suit to make these ones."  
  
"Are you going to get hurt Linna?" asked Eleni quietly from behind Mackey.  
  
"No honey, I'm not. Its ok." Linna led the girl out of the room and then stopped and stuck her head back in, "NOT HAPPY!"  
  
She spent the rest of the day at the gym, leaving Eleni at the day-care under the watchful glare of her bodyguard. Linna hated having someone around all the time like that, especially that one, pompous thing he was.  
  
But she exercised regularly and saw no reason to stop just because she had an extra worry in her life.  
  
She was on the tread mill when her pager beeped.  
  
She stepped of and stared at the screen. It was the emergency code. Bu her friends hadn't used the emergency code since.... She paled and grabbed her towel.  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
"NENE!!!" screamed Priss, "DUCK!!  
  
"AYAAAAA!!" yelled Nene as she got thrown several feet into the air.  
  
"Sylia! Get the core!" screamed Priss moving towards her fallen comrade.  
  
"Im on it!" replied Sylia tightly, her brand new suit gleaming as she leapt forward to slash at the arm of the bug like boomer that was in the process of mutating. It had originally been some sort of waitress model.  
  
"Die damn you!" she yelled, charging forwards.  
  
"GAAAAAHHH!!"  
  
Sylia stopped, jumped backwards and turned to see Priss sailing through a window, headfirst. There was a crunch and a loud burst of swearing burst into Sylia's helmet.  
  
"Are you alright Priss?" asked Nene anxiously.  
  
"Busted my arm."  
  
"Suit or flesh?" asked Nene.  
  
"Suit. I'd be swearing if I broke my arm." Priss muttered. Sylia rolled her eyes. So did Nene.  
  
"LOOKOUT!!" they had forgotten the boomer. It extended an arm at Sylia with lightning speed.  
  
KA—BLAM!!!  
  
When the smoke cleared the boomer was missing an arm, and the scene was lit up by the glare of headlights. The three sabres turned in surprise as a familiar whirring filled the air.  
  
KA—BLAM!! Once again, the Boomer lost a body part.  
  
The whirring was louder. The motoslave and its rider screeched to a stop beside Sylia. The rider spun the bike to face the boomer, KAK KAK KAK KAK KAKA!  
  
The machine gun cut across the belly of the boomer.  
  
"NOW!! TOGETHER!" yelled Sylia, jumping high.  
  
Priss leapt onto the Boomers Back, punched a hole in between its shoulders and leapt backwards immediately, just in time.  
  
"NENE ATTACK!!"  
  
Nene's glowing darts pierced the black boomer, and it roared. There was the flash of metal from above and the KA BLAM of the motoslaves once more, and Sylia cut the core from the boomer, crushing it in her hand,  
  
There was silence as the three suited sabres landed next to the motoslave.  
  
"We could have done it ourselves you know." Priss griped. The rider laughed and pushed back her visor, "you were too busy laughing at yourselves. I think you're going to have to use the gym more often, especially you Nene."  
  
"STOP PICKING ON ME!!"  
  
"Well, you're the one that eats those hot snacks all the time," said Priss mildly,  
  
"Nor do I sit on my arse all day." She added.  
  
"Nah, you just have sex with your boyfriend!" retorted Nene.  
  
"EEEEEWWW!!!" both Sylia and Linna had to comment and then they doubled over laughing. It was a good thing that Priss was wearing a helmet, or they would have seen the red tinge on her cheeks.  
  
Scott sat in his car, his mouth hanging open in shock. Not only had he just witnessed the fabled night sabres in action, he had seen Linna Yamazaki give them a hand, with an almighty big bike. He watched in stunned silence as the three suited fighters conversed with Linna who was still on the bike, and then doubled over laughing, apparently at the expense of the blue suited one, who stood stiffly and folded her arms.  
  
He was going to have to keep a closer eye on Miss Yamazaki.  
  
An; do you reckon he would mind keeping a closer eye on her? Not bloody likely! Tell me what u think.


	7. MacDonalds interupted

AN; im back! Once again sorry for the time it took me to update. I've been sick and life has been bad lately.... BUT IM BACK WITH A NEW CHAPPIE! Thanks to LInnafan especially for kicking me into gear...... SORRY!

The writer of these scrolls made only one other copy of the information in them, and that he gave to one of his two daughters. The scrolls contain information about a being created by man in man's image but who has a controlling power over all machines....

In mans image... a power over all machines...

Linna frowned. That sounded liked Galatea... but that was impossible, as far as she knew Doctor Stingray never went to Egypt, so how could the scrolls end up there. Besides, two daughters? Sylia would know if she had a sister... unless the sister was illegitimate and Sylia's mother wasn't the mother....

"Oh shut up!" Linna snarled at her herself, slapping her own check. Conspiracy theories, when was she going to learn??

Eleni looked up from her play dough with a worried look on her face.

"It's alright sweetheart, I'm just talking to myself!" Linna assured her.

Eleni nodded sagely and went back to the play dough.

They were in Linna's apartment. Eleni was on the floor, kneeling at the coffee table and mashing play dough with her small fingers. Linna was sitting on her couch and wishing she had a different job.

She ran her fingers through her rapidly-becoming-shoulder-length hair and sighed. She couldn't get the pearls out of her mind. Or the fact that she was 21 and was looking after a kid on Friday night. Or the fact that she had not been included in the meeting that she knew was taking place over at Nigel's place about team work. She yawned and looked at the clock.

"whoah! Its six oclock! Are you hungry Eleni?"

The little girl looked up and nodded vigorously.

"You have to tell me about these things!" Linna admonished her mildly, "I need to be looked after too, and you're the only person to do that, so you have to tell me when my stomach's grumbling, ok?"

Eleni nodded and put down the play dough she had been molding. Linna felt chilled, "you just made that?"

The girl nodded, looking proudly at her creation. Her little hands had molded a perfect figure out of the play dough. It was Linna's hard suit, walking.

"Where did you get the idea?" Linna asked quietly, "Aunt Sylia's?"

The girl nodded almost fearfully. Linna smiled to reassure and took a closure look at the figurine, "you have a talent, Eleni. Do you like doing this sort of thing?"

The little girl thought about it shyly and then nodded vigorously. Linna smiled, "well, tomorrow I'll buy you some real clay, ok? It won't melt like play dough!"

Eleni offered her a bright smile, and took her hand and together they left the apartment and headed towards the local MacDonald's.

Nene yawned and ate a few more Nachos with one hand while she typed with the other. These late night shifts are really a drag. She thought with another yawn.

"Open that mouth any wider and you'll find you can catch flies." Commented Daley from beside her, at the edge of her workstation.

"Shut up." Grumbled Nene, but offered him the bag of Nachos anyway, "what's up?"

"I thought you would like to know, there's a rogue boomer tearing the mall apart."

"And why aren't you there?"

"I was," Daley showed her his bandaged arm under his jacket, "it didn't take kindly to my presence."

"I see."

"You do? You're pager's flashing."

"Crap."

Nene dug it out of under the wrappings of lollies and winced, "I suppose I could leave."

"You've only got three minutes left of you're shift." Commented Daley, pointing at a nearby clock.

"WOW! That went quickly! I'll see you later Daley!"

"Kick some arse for me Nene!" he called after the swiftly retreating teen.

Priss threw herself onto the bed with a sigh. She had been distracted during practice. Again. It wasn't her fault she loved Leon and was looking forwards to the date tonight. It really wasn't her fault that she kept dreaming of him holding out a ring for her finger. She had never worried about getting married before, why now?

'You know why.' She growled to herself.

"Hey muffin!" called Leon from the door as he hung his jacket and keys.

Priss rolled her eyes, she hated being called that.

"Hey." 

"Tired?"

"Yes."

"Hungry?"

"Hell yeah."

"Macca's?"

"Hell yeah."

"I'll grab my coat."

They walked to the restaurant and were waiting in line when a gherkin hit Leon's shoulder with a splat. Before either could turn another hit Priss.

Eleni hid behind Linna with a giggle, and Linna watched her two friends look around. They were sitting in a booth, not far away, and Linna had run out of things to throw so she waved.

Priss glared at her and wiped Leon's jacket for him before coming over.

"I'll get you for that!" she swore.

"I know you will." Agreed Linna mildly.

Eleni giggled, drawing Priss' attention to her, "well hello little one," said Priss, and Linna suddenly saw in her minds eye the lady that had almost hit her on the bike and winced. Priss had changed an awful lot.

She waited while Leon and Priss made a fuss of Eleni, tapping her newly manicured nails beating a rhythm that she didn't realize she knew until Priss began to hum a few bars 'of high above the clouds of heaven'. Linna stopped, nonplussed and then chuckled.

"Sorry."

"It nice that someone knows it. One of my less popular songs."

"All your songs are popular."

"Except that one. I had just got home from practice when Leon got home. Man, it was bad. The manager of hot legs is short staffed and he's trying to train his daughter. It's comical to watch. The girl is absolutely hopeless. She dropped about a dozen glasses while I was there."

"Poor thing." Said Linna sympathetically.

"Poor me!" Priss grumbled. "I couldn't concentrate!"

"Well, I'm looking for a new job. How well does it pay?" asked Linna with a yawn.

Priss named the price and Linna stopped yawning abruptly. She smiled, "I'll take it!"

Priss backed up; "Whoa, have you ever table waited before?"

"I'm a country chick. Of course I have."

"You know what hot les is like Linna, its pretty full on."

"Better than being an office lady."

"But what about Eleni?"

"She'll go to aunt Sylia's." said Linna with a grin.

BANG.

The glass caved in. Linna threw her arms around Eleni and hit the floor, Leon doing the same opposite with Priss. She hit the floor and looked up and out the window and saw a man wearing a black balaclava standing, watching the building. Behind him a car was burning. Linna realized with a blink that the force of the explosion had caved in the window. People all around her were running and screaming.

Eleni let out a whimper and Linna glanced down at her, so much trouble for one kid??

She scampered away from the window, pulling Eleni with her, ignoring the pain as glass dug into her knees. She could hear Leon yelling a little way away, but ignored him and surged to her feet as soon as she could, and sprinted for the back of the building, griping the small girl under an arm.

She threw open the back door to the restaurant and...

BANG!

She slammed straight into a very male chest. She staggered, but Scott gripped her arm and helped her keep her balance.

"This way." He told her tightly, and began to sprint, still gripping her arm.

After a few staggering steps Linna's gym work cut in and she matched him pace for pace, even with Eleni under her arm. Scott led her to a parked car next to the dumpster in the shadows at the back of the building. Linna threw open a door, bundled Eleni in and followed her in. Scott threw himself into the driver's seat.

"What the f is going on?" she demanded, pushing Eleni onto the floor.

"My job just got interesting." Scott told her and pressed the accelerator.

As they sped out of the drive Linna caught a glimpse of figures wearing some sort of camouflage running around the front of the big M. they saw the car as they sped away.

AN; next chapter, things begin to heat up... in more ways than one! Thanks to Linnafan for getting me moving... I probably wouldn't have updated if it wasn't for you! Yay Linnafan!


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